Applying the chain rule using trees?

Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
2 replies · 2K views
Pizzerer
Messages
10
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement


Write out a tree (this will be a big tree) of dependencies and hence write down an expression for
∂z/∂r

Homework Equations


z=k(x, y)=xy2, x=(w1)(w2)+w3, y=w4;

w1=t, w2=t2, w3=2t+1, w4=sin(t);
t=r2+2s2

The Attempt at a Solution


This is the tree I drew and followed the relevant paths in order to try and write and expression but my expression is to short. I only calculate 2 terms when there is suppose to be 8:
http://www.picpaste.com/Untitled_Image-OZCiTMvb.jpg

This is wrong however. I need 16 leaves at the base. What am I doing wrong?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Physics news on Phys.org
Pizzerer said:

Homework Statement


Write out a tree (this will be a big tree) of dependencies and hence write down an expression for
∂z/∂r

Homework Equations


z=k(x, y)=xy2, x=(w1)(w2)+w3, y=w4;

w1=t, w2=t2, w3=2t+1, w4=sin(t);
t=r2+2s2

The Attempt at a Solution


This is the tree I drew and followed the relevant paths in order to try and write and expression but my expression is to short. I only calculate 2 terms when there is suppose to be 8:
http://www.picpaste.com/Untitled_Image-OZCiTMvb.jpg

This is wrong however. I need 16 leaves at the base. What am I doing wrong?

I drew a diagram and got the same one you did.

As far as your partial ## \partial z/\partial r## is concerned, I get four terms to your two. Three of the four terms look like this:
$$ \frac{\partial z}{\partial x} \frac{\partial x}{\partial w_i} \frac{d w_i}{dt} \frac{\partial t}{\partial r}$$

For the fourth one, the first factor is the partial of z with respect to y.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
attachment.php?attachmentid=58345&stc=1&d=1367266069.jpg
 

Attachments

  • Untitled_Image-OZCiTMvb.1367266012.jpg
    Untitled_Image-OZCiTMvb.1367266012.jpg
    15.7 KB · Views: 499